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Apple's policies for pre-orders of its popular iOS devices have varied over the years, with the iPhone 4S being scheduled for a 12:01 AM Pacific Time launch on the Friday following the media event, although Apple's pre-orders didn't actually begin until nearly 45 minutes after the appointed time.
Last month, iMore reported that pre-orders were scheduled to begin on the same day as the media event, with availability set for nine days later. An exact timeframe for the pre-order launch was not given in the report, but a same-day window likely pointed toward pre-orders going live soon after the event as the Apple online store comes back online.
MacRumors is now hearing that pre-orders may not begin tomorrow following the media event and that they may instead start on Friday morning in a scenario similar to last year's debut. We're hearing that certain portions of Apple's online sales support team are significantly increasing their staffing levels beginning at 6:00 AM Eastern on Friday, with a major surge for the initial shift beginning at that time and a sustained level of high staffing for at least the remainder of the day.
It is unclear whether pre-orders would begin immediately at the 6:00 AM shift start or some time shortly afterward, but these staffing levels suggest that customers may have to wait until the end of this week to pre-order their new iPhones for delivery a week later.
Top Rated Comments
People always say the above as if it is a bad thing. If you were running a company and launching new products, you would probably want as much fanfare and buzz as possible to drive sales.
Apple is in business to make money. So far their launch strategies have worked out pretty well for them, I'd say.
Hopefully they do open up orders right after the keynote.
Hahaha, yeah, that buying momentum can sneak up on you:
"OK, iPhone 5, let's see in black, same data plan ... oh what the heck, new MBP retina, 27" Thunderbolt display ..." :D